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Reading: Tim Hardaway: LeBron James Is Not A Top 5 Laker Of All Time
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Home > NBA News & Media > Tim Hardaway: LeBron James Is Not A Top 5 Laker Of All Time

Tim Hardaway: LeBron James Is Not A Top 5 Laker Of All Time

Tim Hardaway believes LeBron James will be remembered as Lakers great, but not as a top-five player in franchise history.

Aaditya Krishnamurthy
Feb 21, 2025
5 Min Read
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Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Tim Hardaway spoke about LeBron James‘ place on the list of the greatest Los Angeles Lakers players in NBA history during an appearance on Gil’s Arena show. He noted that LeBron James deserves to be on the list of the greatest Lakers players ever, but isn’t going to make the top five on that list. When facing some pushback, Hardaway reminded the panels of the greats that have worn a Lakers jersey.

“He played five-six years for them. We’re not going to discount LeBron. LeBron is up there. He’s not top five as Laker. Hell no! Next time you go in that arena, look up there.”

On one hand, you can see where Hardaway is coming from. The Los Angeles Lakers have had several iconic players represent them over the years and bring championship glory to the franchise. Names like Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant all become era-defining superstars while donning the purple and gold.

As things stand, LeBron James hasn’t matched the impact or the accolades of any of those players while playing for the Lakers, at least according to Hardaway. LeBron James is one of, if not the greatest player in the history of the sport. But he has only won one NBA championship, Finals MVP, and the inaugural in-season tournament during his time with the franchise.

Hardaway is not the only player to claim LeBron isn’t a top-five Laker of all time. Another Lakers legend, James Worthy, named his list, and LeBron was conspicuous by his absence on that list too.

Fans need to remember an important distinction when it comes to this discussion. We are not talking about the greatest players to ever play for the Lakers. If that was the case, LeBron would easily be on the top five in that list, if not be at the top spot himself.

The discussion is surrounding the greatest Lakers of all time, meaning that we are considering the players who brought the most success to the franchise and changed things for them like no one else had.

We here at Fadeaway World put together a list of the 10 greatest Lakers players of all time. On the Lakers’ GOAT pyramid that we designed, James misses out on the top spot simply because he doesn’t have the accolades in a Lakers uniform to match up.

LeBron helped end a 10-year drought for the Lakers by winning the 2020 NBA championship. So his place among the greats in Lakers history is secure. In fact, just recently, James also moved into 10th place on the Lakers’ all-time scoring charts, usurping Jamaal Wilkes, who had 10,601 points compared to James’ 10,629 points in a Lakers jersey.

Speaking of scoring, James did make history as a Laker in 2023, when he surpassed fellow Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. That was a historic moment that few will forget, and it happened on the hallowed home court of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Perhaps if LeBron James wins another NBA championship with the Lakers, he can earn a spot in the top five. The arrival of Luka Doncic certainly gives him a strong chance to do so before he retires from the NBA. But as things stand, LeBron will be remembered as a great Lakers star, but someone who didn’t move the needle quite like West, Kareem, Magic, or Kobe did during their historic stints with the team.

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.

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Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:LeBron JamesTim Hardaway
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ByAaditya Krishnamurthy
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Aaditya Krishnamurthy is a writer for Fadeaway World covering the latest news and exciting stories from the fascinating world of the NBA. After briefly working as a freelance writer in the sports and business sector, Aaditya began writing for Fadeaway World in 2021 about the day-to-day functioning of the NBA.After graduating from Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts in 2020, he worked as a freelance writer for years before beginning his MA in Communications at Penn State University. Currently, he is in the United States, and traveling to his home country of India. Aside from the NBA, Aaditya is a big sports fan, with soccer, football, Formula 1, and MMA being some of his favorites to watch.
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